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21. idic5
    Member

    On the subject of the VC's scale: one thing that does not look quite right to me in the VC is the mini tower at the corner. That is probably Mr Spatny's 'cutesy tower'.

    I know lots of people think VC is too big and tall already. But can the developer push this cone up a bit more for proper aesthetics?

    It seems to me to not be in scale, internally, to the VC structure around it, as well as to the buildings around it. To me, It seems chopped off artificially. Its angles are obstuse when the Tower blng and the dentist office as well as some/most/all of the VC's own lines are more acute. I think it should clone, approximate, or be conguent with, the little mini tower directly across the dentist's across the street.

    And, of course, since the yellow brick was already selected to tie into the Tower, that mini tower's cone/top really should be congruent with the big tower. That is THE building element in that area.

    also, what is the materials of the cone/tower that I am speaking about? It seems like some kind of metallic green. if so. can the materials not be so metallic?

    Hey people - VC is already here. just trying to make it *a little better* before we get to that point in the construction. I'm not saying remove the 4th floor, put in acute bay windows across the southern side matching the dentist bldng, slate roof, real gables, skylights, and tall victorian chimneys with decorative clay liners. just a wee bit taller in the cute tower.

    I had noticed this when I saw the design in the paper, but never got around to saying anything to anyone except my wife at the dinnertable. Whom would I have told? I didnot know. There was not a nice forum like this at the time. sorry.

    Did they arbitrarily cut off the top to make some kind of ht restriction? From what I gather in this forum, it already broke the limitation. So let's do it right - another foot or two won't hurt.

    mike t

    Posted Thursday Jan 4, 2007 16:23 #

22. spatny
    Member

    idic 5 - I was referring to the highest point - the "tower" above the main entrance on Burlington. That was downsized so that it would meet some requirement in the code and go higher than allowed. So it will be just a scrawny spindle. What people should be asking is were the latest changes in the west facade - seven window opening instead of the six they show on the plans and not like the rendering either, run past Preservation and approved? I can't get an answer. All I know is that when I went into a realtors office to look at the material they sell from, today, they show six, not seven windows on the second (and presumably also the third, floors. What gives? How come I can't get an answer from the Village. Maybe they have to do the paperwork and backdate it? Recently they allowed the library to have a concrete pad poured on Library Hill without a permit, so anything is possible.

    Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 17:15 #

23. KimJ
    Member

    Has anyone been by the VC this week. Almost 2 full stories are up, it really is big. I can't believe 2 more stories are on the way. It will dwarf EVERYTHING. We are all nuts to think for a minute developers will not build out every available square inch allowed to them with current zoning, and ask for variances for what they can't. Look at how new homes max out every inch of buildable property. It is the biggest way for developers to make money (second is substandard materials, third is poor planning, ie. "cookie cutter." Look for the mixed use buildings in other TIF districts, DG, LG, and you will see what I mean, it is like pod people...) Clearly, with our current zoning, monster buildings are possible and acceptable, and developers are already here, we don't need a TIF to convince them to come.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 18:30 #

24. corbi328
    Member

    Kim Jacobs, as your post clearly implies, what you really find objectionable is the flexibility that our current B2 zoning ordinances provide developers, irrespective of a TIF. What you fail to recognize is that the presence of the TIF will give the Village the financial leverage to hold developers to a higher standard. It will give us the carrot to have a say in the look of the building when previously our only bargaining chip were the limitations set by the zoning ordinances. Using this line of thinking, I submit to you that the existence of the TIF will actually reduce the amount of variances granted and lead to more aesthetically pleasing developments that are in character with the town.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 18:42 #

25. Catherine
    Member

    As to the only current bargaining chip being the zoning ordinances, they were no bargaining chip as the zoning ordinances were changed specifically to accomodate this and other such buildings. And then a variance to those generous proportions were given anyway. Therefore, the zoning ordinances, variances and TIF together will really let the horse out of the barn. I believe the design consultant retained by the village made the very point that this is a fair and logical conclusion.

    I have not heard anyone on the board object to the VC as aesthetically displeasing. Therefore why would one think the leverage they would exercise would yield a different result?

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 19:09 #

26. KimJ
    Member

    corgi328,
    Or we could simply change the zoning back to a more reasonable scale and demand that builders keep a standard here. What was the difference all these years that allows Lyons, Hinsdale, Cicero, Riverside to have such differing property value growth. Is it all about the zoning, design review, and the enforcement of the codes? Or is it TIF that brings big EAV. By the way, Hinsdale's CBD's EAV growth is pretty much keeping in pace with ours at the moment (esp. last 5 years, see Redevelopment Plan for those numbers, and they have had a TIF. Google it.) I think it is amazing that we are doing as well as Hinsdale, irregardless of TIF. It would be interesting to see the last 5 years EAV growth rates of the CBD's of LaGrange, Western Springs, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Westmont, Downers Grove, Lisle, Naperville, in comparison to ours. Is that the kind of stuff EDC checks out?

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 19:26 #

27. corbi328
    Member

    That is not really the mandate of the EDC. Our charge is to promote commerce and to attract businesses to our town.

    It's ironic you draw a comparison to Hinsdale. Would you be willing to pay real estate taxes equivalent to those in Hinsdale? If everybody says yes then our problems are solved. Riverside would become an elitist residential community, like Hinsdale, where only very affluent people could afford to live. The reality is that a good portion of current Riverside residents would be forced to move out of Riverside in such a scenario and that would really be a pity. One of the main reasons I was attracted to Riverside is that my children would have the benefit of growing up in a diverse town made up of people of varying socio-economic backgrounds. The repercussions of not taking proactive steps to improve our town's financial health through a TIF or other means would put Riverside's diversity in jeapordy.

    I don't think that anyone wants Riverside to turn into Hinsdale or to pay Hinsdale like real estate taxes (if you do I suggest you move there) and therefore we are back to square one. What is the best tool at the town's disposal to stimulate sales tax growth and growth in the lagging EAV of the properties within the TIF district? Clearly the answer is not to change the zoning ordinances back as Kim Jacobs suggested because that would doom us to the same steady deterioration that has occurred over the last twenty five years. Absent any other viable alternatives, many reasonable people in town have concluded that the best solution is a TIF.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 19:53 #

28. KimJ
    Member

    I grew up in Clarendon Hills, I graduated from Hinsdale Central. I would not want my kids to live there, ever (freaky place, where kids grow up thinking everybody has a 3 car garage and you get a Beemer for your 16th birthday.) I live in RIVERSIDE because it is special, and NOT Hinsdale. I just find it amusing that the EAV of Hinsdale's and our CBD's are similar! So I guess corgi we are in agreement on this issue, Hinsdale is not what we want.

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 21:14 #

29. corbi328
    Member

    Is there something wrong with the "b" keystroke on your computer?

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 21:22 #

30. KimJ
    Member

    jet lag, sorry

    Posted Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 21:26 #

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